Qalandiya, Mon 29.10.12, Afternoon
Monday was the last day of the Id el Adha holiday. Not quite as busy as the end of Ramadan, still a lot of people had come to Qalandiya CP on their way to Jerusalem. On our arrival we met a distraught mother with two children, a girl of 12 and a boy of 10. She was distraught because the soldiers in Passageway 3 had refused to allow the kids through the CP even though she held a valid permit in her hand along with birth certificates for the two kids. As we approached her we were joined by one of the unemployed young men who spend their time “kibbitzing” at the CP entrance. He pointed out that an Israeli policeman, Ivan, was just coming to the post in the northern shed. All of us together called Ivan over and explained what the problem was. Ivan looked at the woman’s papers and concluded that there was no problem. On holidays, even big children are allowed through the CP just on the basis of birth certificates and without special permits. He promised to instruct the soldiers as to the rules and told the woman to get in line again in Passageway 3. Before going on his way, Ivan offered his opinion that the soldiers on duty deserved a special prize for the patience with which they were dealing with all the “backward villagers” who had come to Qalandiya during the holiday, people who didn’t even know how to use a turnstile!
What is true, is that the IDF does seem to have been better prepared to deal with large crowds during this holiday season. All the passageways were operating during our entire shift, and even Passageway 5 (which leads to the DCO offices) was serving people who were trying to go to Jerusalem. At no point was there a line in the northern shed (entrance to the CP). Later in the afternoon, the officer in charge of the CP came over to speak with us. He told us that the IDF was making an effort to improve efficiency of the CP and how they were keeping all the passageways open all day long. To be honest, we should also mention that even sanitary conditions were a bit improved. The piles of garbage had all disappeared and only the stench remained.
Qalandiya Checkpoint / Atarot Pass (Jerusalem)
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Click here to watch a video from Qalandiya checkpoint up to mid 2019 Three kilometers south of Ramallah, in the heart of Palestinian population. Integrates into "Jerusalem Envelope" as part of Wall that separates between northern suburbs that were annexed to Jerusalem in 1967: Kafr Aqab, Semiramis and Qalandiya, and the villages of Ar-Ram and Bir Nabala, also north of Jerusalem, and the city itself. Some residents of Kafr Aqab, Semiramis and Qalandiya have Jerusalem ID cards. A terminal operated by Israel Police has functioned since early 2006. As of August 2006, northbound pedestrians are not checked. Southbound Palestinians must carry Jerusalem IDs; holders of Palestinian Authority IDs cannot pass without special permits. Vehicular traffic from Ramallah to other West Bank areas runs to the north of Qalandiya. In February 2019, the new facility of the checkpoint was inaugurated aiming to make it like a "border crossing". The bars and barbed wire fences were replaced with walls of perforated metal panels. The check is now performed at multiple stations for face recognition and the transfer of an e-card. The rate of passage has improved and its density has generally decreased, but lack of manpower and malfunctions cause periods of stress. The development and paving of the roads has not yet been completed, the traffic of cars and pedestrians is dangerous, and t the entire vicinity of the checkpoint is filthy. In 2020 a huge pedestrian bridge was built over the vehicle crossing with severe mobility restrictions (steep stairs, long and winding route). The pedestrian access from public transport to the checkpoint from the north (Ramallah direction) is unclear, and there have been cases of people, especially people with disabilities, who accidentally reached the vehicle crossing and were shot by the soldiers at the checkpoint. In the summer of 2021, work began on a new, sunken entrance road from Qalandiya that will lead directly to Road 443 towards Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. At the same time, the runways of the old Atarot airport were demolished and infrastructure was prepared for a large bus terminal. (updated October 2021)
Tamar FleishmanApr-12-2026Qalandiya. Abdallah at his fruit stand
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